Custom Keybinds

A short guide on how to change the default keybinds.

Background

You can edit the default keybinds from the game files directly (as it's not yet integrated into the game). The file in question is "shortcuts.xml" found here:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Mashinky\media\config

Your game files may be in slightly different locations depending on how you save games in Steam. You can find them by right clicking the game in your Library, go to properties, go to the Local Files tab, and then click browse local files.

For those unfamiliar with XML they are basically text files that you can edit with the standard notepad or (more easily) with Notepad++. Notepad++ can be obtained for free from here: https://notepad-plus-plus.org/ but is not necessary for the purposes of this guide.

The XML file's contents look this when editing it with Notepad++:

WARNING: It is best practice to SAVE YOUR GAME FILES before making edits to them. Modifying the XML files can have unintended effects and crash your game if done incorrectly. Whenever making edits, I suggest saving clean, unedited versions of the files somewhere safe.

Changing the Keybinds

To change a shortcut key, simply change the key combination that is within the double quotes after 'keycode:'.

Example of changing the keybind of bulldoze to "B".
<Shortcut keycode="B" flags="construction_mode" gui_id="GUI_DYNAMIT" gui_id_param="GUI_MODIFYTERRAIN" />

Another example, P for Pause:


This will also automatically update the tooltip within the game:

[Captain WHot]

Where to change WASD keybinding for camera move. Those keys are not in shortcuts.xml file.

[Glad_s]

What is gui_id for chain signal? I like to have a shortcut for chain signals :)

[SlasherMCT]

Please note that it is good if you allow duplicate/alternative key definitions for left handed users. WASD is for right handed people, the arrow keys are often used by left-handers as they have the mouse on the left of the keyboard and so keys are more convenient for the right hand on the right hand side of the keyboard. Grow Home is one of my favourite games because it has both left handed and right handed keybindings active at the same time. If you are playing the game with someone who has different handedness you can swap the controls between you without re-binding.

[TyphoonScotland]

It's actually a shame that I can't play this game with my trackpad. I'm slightly disappointed that the team didn't think of people who do play games without a mouse. I seen this and thought maybe there was shortcuts for zooming in and out as well as possibly screen rotation as mentioned in a previous comment.

I do admit I may be a minority being a laptop gamer who prefers my trackpad, however most games do accommodate people like me, and do allow me to zoom using either + and - or even PgUp and PgDn. I just feel like you've missed out on making the game a little easier that way. I also would have liked to see the "Shortcuts" editable from inside the game, as it'd make everything easier for the players.

I also realise this is an early access game, and I will say, you've made the game look amazing and I can't wait to play it properly.

[Team Misha]

@Ghoosty
fichier: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Mashinky\media\config\shortcuts.xml
La ligne dépend de la clé que vous voulez changer. Désolé si c'est une mauvaise traduction.

[Ghoosty]

c'est quel fichier et quel ligne ?

[SBGaming]

This is definitely helpful. I've been wanting to designate the spacebar to pause the game, unfortunately I can't hit the space bar when paused to unpause it back to the speed that I was last playing.

Set the Switch Modes (normally Spacebar) to the Tab key. Perhaps add a section in the guide with keyboard Conventions, so people know what to type in, for instance "Shift", "Ctrl", "Tab", "Spacebar", "Esc". Any other keys I may have missed that people might want to use?

It'd probably take the developer to add the functionality in, but I'd love to be able to bind Q and E to rotate the camera and perhaps R and F to tilt the camera, but the only camera controls that we have are Ctrl+Mouse Control (or mouse buttons).

[Team Misha]

It's definitely simple, I aimed this guide at people with no exposure at all to this so yeah it may sound a little hand-holdy. Also yes I agree it should be within the in-game options, I'm sure it's on the to-do list. This serves as a temporary workaround. It's fine to change the game files so long as you keep clean copies on hand, then you can always roll back the file if something goes wrong.

[Hiigara]

Nothing wrong with editing a XML file, its just like a notepad file, just rename the keyboard keys you want, save it et voila. There is nothing more simple in modding than editing a XML file

[Mr. Hubble]

Keybinds: We should be able to change key binds in the options menu. I don't feel comfortable messing with game files.